SHINING PATH Liliana Cadena Sher’rie Gonzales CRJU 477

What is the Shining Path?  Origin: Peru, South America  Translation of “Sendero Luminoso” (SL)  Maoist guerrilla organization  Established in late 1960’s  Founder: Abimael Guzman Reynoso

Founder Abimael Guzman  Philosophy Professor: San Augustine University, Arequipa  Used profession to entice students’ interest

Maoist Theory  Emphasis on Revolutionary Mass Mobilization  Mobilizing and organizing peasantry  Organizing rural base areas and increased coordination among guerilla organizations  Transition to conventional warfare  “Political power comes from the barrel of the gun.”

Secret Meetings  Known as Central Committee  Held in Ayacucho  Formed Revolutionary Directorate  Ordered militias to start “armed struggle”

First Military School  Militants composed of ordinary people; not professional soldiers  Taught military tactics and weapons use

First “act of war”  First Presidential election in over 12 years  Shining Path declined participation  Launched a guerilla war in Ayacucho  May 17,1980 burned ballot boxes

Group Motto  “Long live the People’s War”  “It is right to rebel”  Destruction of existing institutions  Restructure under communist ideals

Violence on the rise  SENDERO LUMINOSO: Responsible for nearly 50% of deaths between 1980 and  GOVERNMENT FORCES: Believed to be responsible for roughly half the 60,000 deaths or “disappearances” between  MRTA (MOVIMIENTO REVOLUCIONARIO TUPAC AMARU): Responsible for just 3% of killings by insurgents

Terrorist Tactics  “Popular trials”  Slitting throats (machetes), strangulation, stoning and burning stoning and burning  Car bombs  Assassinations

Terrorist Activity  Sabotaged electrical towers in Lima, set fire to Bayer Industrial Plant  Blew up electrical towers, detonated car bombs at government palace and justice palace  Assassination attempt on President of Peruvian National Electoral Council  1991 – Controlled majority of central and southern Peru, and Lima  Estimated membership of 10,000

Terrorist Activity (cont.)  Killed three priests  Assassination of Maria Elena Moyano, a notable community organizer notable community organizer  2002 – U.S. Embassy car bombing precedes visit of President Bush  9 Fatalities; 30 Injuries  2005 – Ambushed police patrol  8 Fatalities; 2 Injuries

Decline  September 12, Guzman arrested on charges of terrorism and treason  Sentenced to life in prison  1999 – Successor, Oscar Ramirez, captured  Sentenced to life in prison  Retrial: 24 year sentence  Peasants formed anti-Shining Path brigades (Rondas)

Current Leader  Comrade Artemio  CIA World Factbook lists identity as Gabriel Macario  No verifiable information on Comrade Artemio  Current membership estimated at

Quote from Abimael “I am a revolutionary combatant and totally reject being a terrorist.” - Shining Path founder: Abimael Guzman Reynoso

Video Clip  MeSqFBI MeSqFBI MeSqFBI

References Council on Foreign Relations. (2005). Shining Path, Tupac Amaru (Peru, leftists). Retrieved January 31, 2007, from /9276/ /9276/ /9276/ Human Rights Watch Report. (2006, July). Alan Garcia’s Second Chance: Human Rights Accountability in Peru. Retrieved February 08, 2007, from /peru0806.pdf Human Rights Watch Report. (2005, January). Country Summary, Peru. Retrieved January 31, 2007, from TKB Data Service. (2006). Shining Path. Retrieved from /Group.jsp?groupID=111 /Group.jsp?groupID=111http:// /Group.jsp?groupID=111 Wilkipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. (2007). Maoism. Retrieved February 08, 2007, from Wilkipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. (2007). Shining Path. Retrieved February 08, 2007, from org/w /index.php?title= Shining_Path&oldid= org/w /index.php?title= Shining_Path&oldid= http://en.wikipedia. org/w /index.php?title= Shining_Path&oldid=